Alternative periodic table of elements.

As I have become involved in the inquiry learning model that has gained so much notoriety inside and outside of the education system, I though it might be informative to give some context in a subject that is not exactly my area of expertise.  Let us consider the traditional periodic table of elements as taught to almost every science student:


















One of the major flaws of the traditional periodic table of the elements is that it exaggerates the difference between elements of similar size in the name of other organization technique's.  There are several alternative types of graphic representations of the known elements:




Another example of an alternative representation of the elements:






Here's a table based off the relative abundance of the element in the atmosphere:

 

 

The point here isn't to suggest that the traditional is inadequate, but to recognize that the traditional is not the only method of conceptualizing academic concepts.  Imagine the number of students who have been turned off education because their method of conceptualizing doesn't fit into the traditional model.  As Henry Ford said, "If I had asked the people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse."  This is to say that while honoring the traditions of education and scholarly achievement, it is essential that educators allow for innovation and invention in our practice, and in the methods students demonstrate their learning.  To assess a students understanding of elements based solely on the traditional periodic table through summative "tests", does not allow for alternative and or divergent views that may be just as valid.